Executive-Level Appointments Announced in New York Field Office

Four new executives have been assigned to the FBI’s New York Field Office. They were appointed by outgoing Director Robert S. Mueller, III.

Richard M. Frankel was named special agent in charge of the Counterterrorism Division. He has served in several positions in the New York Field Office throughout his career, to include assistant special agent in charge of the Counterterrorism Division. While in this role, he oversaw the investigation of a plot to bomb two synagogues in the Bronx and shoot down a military plane near Stewart Air Force Base, the plot to explode a bomb in the New York City Subway system, and the attempt to explode a vehicle-borne bomb in Times Square. His first assignment as an FBI agent was to the Gambino Family Organized Crime Squad, and he later supervised threat response squads in New York City and at JFK Airport. In 2011, he was named associate director of national intelligence in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. He most recently served as acting special agent in charge of the Buffalo Division.

E.W. “Bill” Priestap was named special agent in charge of the Counterintelligence Division. He joined the FBI in 1998 and was first assigned to the New York Office in 2006, where he held a variety of counterterrorism and intelligence supervisory assignments over the next few years. He later served as an assistant special agent in charge in the Counterintelligence Division and in the Intelligence Division. He most recently served as a section chief in the Counterintelligence Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Leo Taddeo was named special agent in charge of the Cyber/Special Operations Division. In this role, he will oversee cyber investigations, information technology support, crisis management, tactical operations, and surveillance operations for the Criminal, Counterterrorism, and Counterintelligence Divisions. Mr. Taddeo began his FBI career in the New York Field Office in 1995 and investigated La Cosa Nostra and Russian organized crime. In July 2003, he returned to the New York Field Office to supervise an organized crime squad and a Joint FBI/NYPD Terrorism Task Force. Mr. Taddeo most recently served as section chief in the International Operations Division at FBI Headquarters, where he played a pivotal role in coordinating the FBI’s response to terrorist attacks and kidnappings overseas.

Ronald Twersky was named special agent in charge of the Administrative Division. Mr. Twersky became a special agent in 1994 and was assigned to the Los Angeles Field Office, where he investigated violent street gangs and public corruption matters. Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Mr. Twersky volunteered to work counterterrorism matters, and in 2002, he was promoted to supervisory special agent at FBI Headquarters in the Counterterrorism Division. He subsequently transferred to the San Francisco Division as a Joint Terrorism Task Force supervisor. In 2008, he was promoted to assistant special agent in charge of the Seattle Division, where he managed cyber, counterintelligence, white-collar crime, intelligence, and administrative programs, respectively. Mr. Twersky most recently served as an inspector in the Inspection Division at FBI Headquarters, where he evaluated FBI field office and legal attaché operations and led teams conducting agent-involved shooting investigations.